July 31, 2013

There Is A Warrior In You

Last night, I was online researching something.

As is typical, some of my own websites, blog posts and
previous interviews popped up in the search results. Usually when this occurs,
I just skip over those links and keep on clicking until I find what I need.

But I couldn’t do that.

I just froze and stared.

In the image results was a grainy picture of my mother,
Annie Brinson, from 2011. She was wearing the brightest smile with a perfectly
bald head. I've seen the image before, but I was in a different mental mode, I guess, you know, focused solely on work.

Seeing those glowing cheeks mentally and emotionally transported me back to that year
when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer.

Her battle was so fierce that, at times, it seemed
like the treatment itself was sucking the very life out of her.

We honestly couldn’t tell if she would be
able to physically tolerate and withstand the horrible side effects of her
chemotherapy, coupled with the serious infections that were raging through her
body.

It looked as if we might lose her.

To see my dear mother lying there helpless, burning up
with fever, losing weight, unable to eat, and sometimes crying and groaning
from the pain, was excruciating.

All the trips back and forth to the hospital,
and periods of uncertainty when doctors were baffled, proved to be some of the
most difficult moments of my life, and I’ve had some doozies.

But staring at her photograph reminded me of
the faithfulness of God to pull us out of the darkest valleys, even when it
looks like we won’t rise up.

My mother, after all the suffering, walked
away with a mighty testimony of deliverance. Since that time, she has
ministered to others and shared her inspirational journey. Last October, she
participated in a breast cancer awareness campaign to encourage early detection
and let others know God is able to heal.

What once looked like it would take her out actually helped her birth out her ministry.

You know, we often hear that our mess becomes our
message. We know in our hearts that our pain is inextricably tied to our
purpose, and that our greatest devastation often leads us to our greatest
destiny.

And yet, while we’re in the thick of it all, it
seems like there is no way possible anything good will ever come out of our
trial.

But if you just keep your eyes focused on Jesus and
allow Him to bring you through your dark valley, you'll one day look back on your situation and remember how far God brought you.

In order to realize your full potential, though, through the tears,
heartache, pain, loss, struggle and disappointment, you can’t quit. Frustrated
and all, you have to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Even at your wit's end, dig way down deep through
emotional turmoil and tap into faith.

My mother had to do it in order to go through her
ordeal. I’ve had to do it to go through my many struggles. And you are no
different.

The good news is, there is a warrior in you. You have
what it takes to go through, not because you
are strong enough.

No, no.

But because the One who lives within you is strong and mighty! Oh, yes He is.

To remind you of this truth, I’m stirring Exodus 15:3
NIV into your cup of inspiration. It simply says this: “The LORD is a warrior;
the LORD is his name.”

When you drink down the contents of your cup of
inspiration, you will be reminded that, when your strength is gone, that doesn’t
mean it’s over. But rather, it means
you are positioned to be an overcomer, as you
lean on the everlasting arm of the omnipotent, all-powerful One.

He will fight for you.

As the word of the Lord came to Jehoshaphat in 2
Chronicles 20:15, it comes to you today: “For the battle is not yours, but
God's.”

You will make it, as long as you remember where your
help comes from—the Lord.

Now let’s
pray.

God, when all my strength is gone, thank You for
reminding me that I am yet able to overcome, because it is not my strength that
gives me victory, but Yours. Today, even though things are still rough in some
areas, I trust You to be my defense, to fight for me, and to bring me out. In
Jesus’ name, Amen.

As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, encourage, and empower you!

If
you need prayer, don't hesitate to request it. I would be honored to
stand in faith with you. I know that prayer works. CLICK HERE to learn
how to submit your prayer request.

Comments

There Is A Warrior In You

Last night, I was online researching something.

As is typical, some of my own websites, blog posts and
previous interviews popped up in the search results. Usually when this occurs,
I just skip over those links and keep on clicking until I find what I need.

But I couldn’t do that.

I just froze and stared.

In the image results was a grainy picture of my mother,
Annie Brinson, from 2011. She was wearing the brightest smile with a perfectly
bald head. I've seen the image before, but I was in a different mental mode, I guess, you know, focused solely on work.

Seeing those glowing cheeks mentally and emotionally transported me back to that year
when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer.

Her battle was so fierce that, at times, it seemed
like the treatment itself was sucking the very life out of her.

We honestly couldn’t tell if she would be
able to physically tolerate and withstand the horrible side effects of her
chemotherapy, coupled with the serious infections that were raging through her
body.

It looked as if we might lose her.

To see my dear mother lying there helpless, burning up
with fever, losing weight, unable to eat, and sometimes crying and groaning
from the pain, was excruciating.

All the trips back and forth to the hospital,
and periods of uncertainty when doctors were baffled, proved to be some of the
most difficult moments of my life, and I’ve had some doozies.

But staring at her photograph reminded me of
the faithfulness of God to pull us out of the darkest valleys, even when it
looks like we won’t rise up.

My mother, after all the suffering, walked
away with a mighty testimony of deliverance. Since that time, she has
ministered to others and shared her inspirational journey. Last October, she
participated in a breast cancer awareness campaign to encourage early detection
and let others know God is able to heal.

What once looked like it would take her out actually helped her birth out her ministry.

You know, we often hear that our mess becomes our
message. We know in our hearts that our pain is inextricably tied to our
purpose, and that our greatest devastation often leads us to our greatest
destiny.

And yet, while we’re in the thick of it all, it
seems like there is no way possible anything good will ever come out of our
trial.

But if you just keep your eyes focused on Jesus and
allow Him to bring you through your dark valley, you'll one day look back on your situation and remember how far God brought you.

In order to realize your full potential, though, through the tears,
heartache, pain, loss, struggle and disappointment, you can’t quit. Frustrated
and all, you have to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Even at your wit's end, dig way down deep through
emotional turmoil and tap into faith.

My mother had to do it in order to go through her
ordeal. I’ve had to do it to go through my many struggles. And you are no
different.

The good news is, there is a warrior in you. You have
what it takes to go through, not because you
are strong enough.

No, no.

But because the One who lives within you is strong and mighty! Oh, yes He is.

To remind you of this truth, I’m stirring Exodus 15:3
NIV into your cup of inspiration. It simply says this: “The LORD is a warrior;
the LORD is his name.”

When you drink down the contents of your cup of
inspiration, you will be reminded that, when your strength is gone, that doesn’t
mean it’s over. But rather, it means
you are positioned to be an overcomer, as you
lean on the everlasting arm of the omnipotent, all-powerful One.

He will fight for you.

As the word of the Lord came to Jehoshaphat in 2
Chronicles 20:15, it comes to you today: “For the battle is not yours, but
God's.”

You will make it, as long as you remember where your
help comes from—the Lord.

Now let’s
pray.

God, when all my strength is gone, thank You for
reminding me that I am yet able to overcome, because it is not my strength that
gives me victory, but Yours. Today, even though things are still rough in some
areas, I trust You to be my defense, to fight for me, and to bring me out. In
Jesus’ name, Amen.

As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, encourage, and empower you!

If
you need prayer, don't hesitate to request it. I would be honored to
stand in faith with you. I know that prayer works. CLICK HERE to learn
how to submit your prayer request.